The Scottish Open takes place at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow this week, with 128 players competing for the top prize of £70,000.
Three former world champions are in first-round action on Tuesday, with Ronnie O’Sullivan and Shaun Murphy featuring in the afternoon session before Neil Robertson competes in the evening. They are all understandably short-priced favourites to get through but there is plenty of value elsewhere.
Here are our three recommended bets from Tuesday’s schedule, with a £10 treble returning £44.40 if all three players progress:
David Gilbert to beat Robert Milkins @ 3/5
Gilbert impressed at the UK Championship and he will be hoping to start his Scottish Open campaign with victory over Milkins. On a night when O’Sullivan was the star first-round attraction, ‘Angry Farmer’ Gilbert kept his head on the next table to see off Adam Duffy – then followed up with successes over Mark Joyce and Ali Carter.
‘The Milkman’ has not been convincing this season, making Gilbert the more appealing prospect to go through.
Michael Georgiou to beat Peter Lines @ 17/20
Georgiou can bounce back from his recent drubbing at the hands of O’Sullivan. The Cypriot reached the third round of the UK Championship, before The Rocket convincingly halted his progress – but he has enough ability to defeat Lines.
Veteran Lines, father of the up-and-coming Oliver, also reached the third round and showed impressive safety play in knocking out defending champion Robertson – but we think 28-year-old Georgiou has what it takes to progress in a match where both players are priced at 17/20.
Jack Lisowski to beat Hossein Vafaei Ayouri @ 1/2
Lisowski’s match against Ayouri is an intriguing prospect. Both players lost in the first round of the UK Championship and this does not give much help to punters who believe in selecting players in form.
Ayouri is Iran’s only professional player and a decent run in a competition or two will do wonders for his profile – but Lisowski’s greater experience makes him the more likely to progress in this one.
